Castle Dale swearing in ceremony for mayor/council

Castle Dale City held their swearing in ceremony on Thursday for their re-elected mayor Dan Van Wagoner and re-elected council members Julie Johansen and Doug Weaver. The event was attended by family and friends of those serving in office for Castle Dale City. City Recorder Lael White swore in the re-elected officials. Castle Dale City met in their December meeting. Council Member Joel Dorsch moved to give a Christmas Bonus to the five employees, the same amount that was given last year. The council approved the 2018 City Council Meeting Schedule and the paid holiday schedule.
Chapter 7 of the Pending General Plan was presented to the Council. Recorder Lael White explained this segment needed to be approved this month to complete an Affordable Housing Plan Report that was due in December. If we don’t have this in place, we will not be eligible for CDBG grants.
The 2017 Auditor’s Report was presented to the Council. It was decided that the Auditor should come to Council Meeting to present the report. They have done so in the past, and it should be included in the cost of the Audit
Animal Control Officer Seth Smith reported that a resident on 800 North was cited for dogs at large. She wouldn’t answer her door or phone, so the citation was sent registered mail. Another resident went to court and paid their $50 fine. The court case with the pitbulls was continued until next month.
Chief Nosh Arrien reported the City’s brush fire truck, and two firefighters from the City have gone to Southern California to fight the fires there. The firefighters are Richard Hayward, and Jason Kava. There are two firefighters from San Juan County also assigned to our truck. There are Trucks and Crews from Carbon County there also. The City will receive payment from the State of Utah for the Firefighters and the Truck. The State then bills the Federal Government. Some of the monies will come from California.
The department members completed Hazmat training on Nov 8, and all passed the skill test. The results of the written test are pending.
The fire department now has three refurbished SCBA (self contained breathing apparatus) units that we were able to purchase with County Fire District money. They, with the back ordered tanks, were $9,000.
Hunter Power Plant will need a Fire Safety Inspection soon. Fire Chief Arrien has been researching the codes needed for this. He will not do the inspection, but is advising Hunter Plant on items needed for the inspection. Hunter Plant is in Castle Dale’s Fire Dept Zone, and he has been appointed as the Fire Inspector. He needs the Council to set an hourly rate for Fire Inspection. Usually a Fire Inspection takes an hour. He suggests $25 per hour, and asks they do this in January.
The City received an award of $825 from the ULGT for the TAP program. The city should also get a discount on the Workman’s Compensation premiums.
Arrien showed the Council some slides of the City’s Dump Trucks and Snow Plow trucks. They are all quite old. There are two dump trucks and two snowplow trucks. The main difference in the trucks is that the dump trucks have higher sides on the beds, and can hold more material.
Each truck cost $4,000 to $5,000 per year for maintenance. The current biggest concern is the sand spreaders on the snow plow trucks. They are worn out and rusted, and we need a new one as soon as possible.
The City can sell the white dump truck, and the smaller dump truck. We need to buy a newer Dump Truck that can plow, but right now we need to buy a sand spreader. Per the City’s Purchasing Policy, he needs Council approval because it will be over $5,000.
The power feed box and wires fell off of the wall of the old City Hall. We are now using the power feed from the second floor with extension cords to run space heaters. We need to replace the meter and breakers so the building will have some heat to keep the pipes from freezing.
Council member Dorsch estimated that it would cost $2,000 and would come out of general maintenance.
Treasurer Jackie Collard reported the Sales Tax revenue is down this month $2,000 from the same month last year, but we are at 42 percent of the year and have 49 percent of the projected tax revenue. The new Transportation Tax is $15 less this month than last month.
The Property Tax received in December is up $186 from the same time last year.
We have received much more in Building Permit revenue than projected, and have thus spent more on the Building Inspector.
Recorder White reported two new Business Licenses: CC’s Messy Treasures and Floral and White Glove Cleaning Service.
Council Member Doug Weaver said the Fire Department Christmas Party went well.
Mayor Van Wagoner went to a LEPC meeting concerning the Rainbow People gathering. Wasatch County incurred $300,000 in law enforcement and other costs when the group was in the National Forests in their County.
On the Christmas Decorations over Center Street, UDOT doesn’t like decorations over the highway. We have a permit but if we miss a year, then we lose the permit.
Mayor Van Wagoner wants to replace one set of decorations per year, and replace some lights with LED lights.
With the new revenue from the Transportation Tax, we can do this.
At the end of the year, he will be looking at jobs and responsibilities of Council Members.
The city employees will be re-appointed at the Council Meeting in January.
Article information taken from Castle Dale’s unapproved meeting minutes.